WE RECEIVE OUR SAILING ORDERS, AND ORDERS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION--A
QUARTER-DECK CONVERSATION--LISTENERS NEVER HEAR ANY GOOD OF THEMSELVES.
When I arrived at Portsmouth, I reported myself to the captain, who
lived at the hotel. I was ushered into his room to wait for him, as he
was dressing to dine with the admiral. My eyes naturally turned to what
lay on the table, merely from the feeling which one has to pass away the
time, not from curiosity; and I was much surprised to see a pile of
letters the uppermost of which was franked by Lord Privilege. This,
however, might be merely accidental; but my curiosity was excited, and I
lifted up the letter, and found that the second, the third, and indeed
at least ten of them were franked by my uncle. I could not imagine how
there could be any intimacy between him and my uncle, and was reflecting
upon it when Captain Hawkins, for that was his name, entered the room.
He was very kind and civil, apologised for not being able to extend my
leave, which, he said, was because he had consulted the admiral, who
would not sanction the absence of the first lieutenant, and had very
peremptorily desired he would recall me immediately. I was satisfied:
he shook my hand, and we parted. On, my arrival on board the hulk, for
the brig was still in dock, I was warmly received by my messmates. They
told me that the captain had, generally speaking, been very civil, but
that, occasionally, the marks of the cloven foot appeared.
"Webster," said I to the second lieutenant, "do you know anything about
his family or connections?"
"It is a question I have asked of those who have sailed with him, and
they all say that he never speaks of his own family, but very often
boasts of his intimacy with the nobility. Some say that he is a
_bye-blow_ of some great man."
I reflected very much upon this, and connecting it with the numerous
franks of Lord Privilege which I saw on the table, had my misgivings;
but then I knew that I could do my duty, and had no reason to fear any
man. I resolved, in my own mind, to be very correct, and put it out of
the power of any one to lay hold of me, and then dismissed the subject.
The brig was repaired and out of dock, and for some days I was very busy
getting her ready for sea. I never quitted her; in fact, I had no wish.
I never had any taste for bad company and midnight orgies, and I had no
acquaintance with the respectable portion of the inhabitants of
Portsmouth. At last the ship's company were removed into the brig: we
went out of the harbour, and anchored at Spithead.
Captain Hawkins came on board and gave me an order-book, saying, "Mr
Simple, I have a great objection to written orders, as I consider that
the articles of war are quite sufficient to regulate any ship. Still, a
captain is in a very responsible situation, and if any accident occurs
he is held amenable. I therefore have framed a few orders of my own for
the interior discipline of the vessel, which may probably save me
harmless, in case of being _hauled over the coals_; but not with any
wish that they should interfere with the comforts of the officers, only
to guard against any mischance, of which the _onus_ may fall upon
myself."
I received the order-book, and the captain went ashore. When I went
down into the gun-room, to look through it, I at once perceived that if
rigidly conformed to, every officer in the ship would be rendered
uncomfortable; and if not conformed to, I should be the party that was
answerable. I showed it to Webster, who agreed with me, and gave it as
his opinion that the captain's good nature and amiability were all a
blind, and that he was intending to lay hold of us as soon as it was in
his power. I therefore called all the officers together, and told them
my opinion. Webster supported me, and it was unanimously agreed that
the orders should be obeyed, although not without remonstrance.
The major part of the orders, however, only referred to the time that
the brig was in harbour; and, as we were about to proceed to sea, it was
hardly worth while saying anything at present. The orders for the
sailing of the brig came down, and by the same post I received a letter
from my sister Ellen, stating that they had heard from Captain Fielding,
who had immediately written to Bombay, where the regiment was stationed,
and had received an answer, informing him that there was no married man
in the regiment of the name of Sullivan, and no woman who had followed
that regiment of that name. This at once put an end to all our
researches after the wet-nurse, who had been confined in my uncle's
house. Where she had been sent, it was of course impossible to say; but
I gave up all chance of discovering my uncle's treachery; and, as I
thought of Celeste, sighed at the little hope I had of ever being united
to her. I wrote a long letter to O'Brien, and the next day we sailed
for our station in the North Sea.
The captain added a night order-book to the other, and sent it up every
evening, to be returned in the morning, with the signature of every
officer of the night watches. He also required all our signatures to
his general order-book, that we might not say we had not read them. I
had the first watch, when Swinburne came up to me.
"Well, Mr Simple, I do not think we have made much by our exchange of
captains; and I have a shrewd suspicion we shall have squalls ere long."
"We must not judge too hastily, Swinburne," replied I.
"No, no--I don't say that we should; but still, one must go a little by
looks in the world, and I'm sure his looks wouldn't help him much. He
is just like a winter's day, short and dirty; and he walks the decks as
if plank were not good enough for his feet. Mr William says, he looks
as if he were `big with the fate of Cato and of Rome:' what that means I
don't know--some joke, I suppose, for the youngsters are always joking.
Were you ever up the Baltic, Mr Simple? Now I think of it I know you
never were. I've seen some tight work up there with the gun-boats; and
so we should now, with Captain O'Brien; but as for this little man, I've
an idea 'twill be more talk than work."
"You appear to have taken a great dislike to the captain, Swinburne. I
do not know whether, as first lieutenant, I ought to listen to you."
"It's because you're first lieutenant that I tell it you, Mr Simple. I
never was mistaken, in the main, of an officer's character, when I could
look him in the face, and hear him talk for half-an-hour; and I came up
on purpose to put you on your guard: for I feel convinced, that towards
you he means mischief. What does he mean by having the greasy-faced
sergeant of marines in his cabin for half-an-hour every morning? His
reports as master-of-arms ought to come through you, as first
lieutenant; but he means him as a spy upon all, and upon you in
particular. The fellow has began to give himself airs already, and
speaks to the young gentlemen as if they were beneath him. I thought
you might not know it, Mr Simple, so I thought it right to tell you."
"I am much obliged to you, Swinburne, for your good wishes; but I can do
my duty, and why should I fear anything?"
"A man may do his duty, Mr Simple; but if a captain is determined to
ruin him, he has the power. I have been longer in the service than you
have, and have been wide awake: only be careful of one thing Mr Simple;
I beg your pardon for being so free, but in no case lose your temper."
"No fear of that, Swinburne," replied I.
"It's very easy to say `no fear of that,' Mr Simple: but recollect you
have not yet had your temper tried as some officers have. You have
always been treated like a gentleman; but should you find yourself
treated otherwise, you have too good blood in your veins not to speak--I
am sure of that. I've seen officers insulted and irritated, till no
angel could put up with the treatment--and then for an unguarded word,
which they would have been _swabs_ not to have made use of, sent out of
the service to the devil."
"But you forget, Swinburne, that the articles of war are made for the
captain as well as for everybody else in the ship."
"I know that; but still, at court-martials captains make a great
distinction between what a superior says to an inferior, and what an
inferior says to a superior."
"True," replied I, quoting Shakespeare:--
"`That's in the captain but a choleric word,
Which in the soldier is rank blasphemy.'"
"Exactly my meaning--I rather think," said Swinburne, "if a captain
calls you no gentleman, you mustn't say the same to him."
"Certainly not," replied I; "but I can demand a court-martial."
"Yes; and it will be granted; but what do you gain by that? It's like
beating against a heavy gale and a lee tide--thousand to one if you
fetch your port; and if you do, your vessel is strained to pieces, sails
worn as thin as a newspaper, and rigging chafed half through, wanting
fresh serving: no orders for a refit, and laid up in ordinary for the
rest of your life. No, no, Mr Simple; the best plan is to grin and
bear it, and keep a sharp look-out; for depend upon it, Mr Simple, in
the best ship's company in the world, a spy captain will always find spy
followers."
"Do you refer that observation to me, Mr Swinburne?" said a voice from
under the bulwark. I started round, and found the captain, who had
crept upon deck, unperceived by us, during our conversation.
Swinburne made no reply, but touched his hat, and walked over to
leeward.
"I presume, Mr Simple," said the captain, turning to me, "that you
consider yourself justified in finding fault, and abusing your captain,
to an inferior officer, on His Majesty's quarter-deck."
"If you heard the previous conversation, sir," replied I, "you must be
aware that we were speaking generally about court-martials. I do not
imagine that I have been guilty of any impropriety in conversing with an
officer upon points connected with the service."
"You mean then to assert, sir, that the gunner did not refer to me when
he said the words, `spy captain.'"
"I acknowledge, sir, that as you were listening unperceived, the term
might appear to refer to you; but the gunner had no idea, at the time,
that you were listening. His observation was, that a spy captain would
always find spy followers. This I take to be a general observation; and
I am sorry that you think otherwise."
"Very well, Mr Simple," said Captain Hawkins--and he walked down the
companion ladder into his cabin.
"Now a'n't it odd, Mr Simple, that I should come with the intention of
being of service to you, and yet get you into such a scrape? However,
perhaps, it is all for the best; open war is preferable to watching in
the dark, and stabbing in the back. He never meant to have shown his
colours; but I hit him so hard that he forgot himself."
"I suspect that to be the case, Swinburne; But I think that you had
better not talk any more with me to-night."
"Wish I hadn't talked quite so much, as things have turned out," replied
Swinburne. "Good night, sir."
I reflected upon what had passed, and felt convinced that Swinburne was
right in saying that it was better this had occurred than otherwise. I
now knew the ground which I stood upon; and forewarned was being
forearmed.